Today’s TTT is a freebie about relationships, so I’m going to just throw out the first platonic relationships that pop up in my head. But first, teases!
I half joke that raising children inculcates the virtue of detachment. You learn not to love any physical belonging too much, because you know it might be destroyed any minute. (Family Unfriendly)
“I don’t want to mess us up,” you blunder on. “Keep talking like that, you will,” she shoots back. Light. Fast. A smile with glitter on it. You get the hint. Sunny is smiling but that is not a happy smile. It’s a smile that says: Shut up, Ducky.You’ve hurt my feelings. So you shut up. (Ducky, diary 3. Ann M Martin.)
Harper: So, you and me are going to stop a rebellion? Sharpe: Well I don’t see no bugger else.
(1) Battle-bros:Sharpe and Pat Harper. These two are great together. From their first meeting in a brawl, they grew to be family, and Cornwell’s gift for funny dialogue is never better than with these two.
(2) Captain Dad: Sir Edward Pellew and his fictional protege, Horatio Hornblower. Realizing that Pellew (in real life) rose from the ranks himself throws Pellew’s paternal affection for ol Horry in a new light.
(3)We’re Neither of us Quite Sure, Ducky and Sunny. Ducky is a sixteen year old who rescued Sunny and her friends from a hazing incident, and became a taxi-driver and friend to them — but was especially close to Sunny, very much like a brother. Although all of their friends ship them, a kiss makes them realize that whatever their bond is, it’s not the romcom kind. Actually re-reading Ducky diary 3 now.
(4) Captain Mom. I love the near mother-daughter bond between Captain Janeway and Seven of Nine: Janeway made the decision to remove Seven from the collective, and as such feels a sense of responsibility for helping her reclaim her humanity. These two have both appeared in ST Voyager books, so I’m claiming it.
(5) My enemy, my unwitting ally: Gollum and Frodo. As you may know if you’ve read LOTR, there’s a moment when Frodo could kill the treacherous Gollum, but — in a moment of hesitation, wondering at what goodness the creature might still possess — he stays his hand. Given that Frodo falters at the last and it’s Gollum’s obsession with The One Ring that leds to it being destroyed, Frodo’s mercy essentially saves Middle Earth from Sauron.
(6) Jayber and Athey Keith. In Jayber Crow, a barber in search of the answers to Life, the Universe, and Everything washes up (literally — there’s a flood) in Port William, a declining agricultural village in Kentucky. He encounters a a great many people he will grow with over the years, none more important than Mattie Keith, a woman he loves unrequitedly, and whose father is an inspiration to him. Every time I read Jayber I’m touched by Jayber’s devotion to Athey in his declining years as they watch his work being steadily eroded by Mattie’s husband, a faithless and ambitious hound.
(7) Brothers across the stars: Tobias and Ax, from Animorphs. Early in the series, Tobias was stuck in his redtailed hawk morph, and the distance this put between him and his humanity made a stronger bond with Aximili (etc etc), the marooned Andalite teenager, easier to build. They also had a unique relationship with Elfangor.
(8) Aslan and Edmund. I always marvel at Aslan’s love and mercy toward the treacherous, cretinious Edmund of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
(9) Cato and Macro, the young pup and his grizzled mentor. They have an interesting dynamic because Cato quickly outstrips Macro in rank, but remains open to his guidance.
(10) Dex and Moss, just a monk and a robot out wandering and looking for answers.
I almost never see Wendell Berry on book blogs so I’m excited to see you mention him here. My favorite of his books that I’ve read is Hannah Coulter. I’ve read it a few times.
I absolutely WB, both his fiction and essays. (His poetry, too, but I’ve never read a complete collection.)
Hannah was my second Berry book. 🙂 It has one of my favorite quotes from Berry in it, helped by the fact at my grandfather died just before I read it and it really hit home:
“The living can’t quit living because the world has turned terrible and people they love and need are killed. They can’t because they don’t. The light that shines into darkness and never goes out calls them on into life. It calls them back again into the great room. It calls them into their bodies and into the world, into whatever the world will require. It calls them into work and pleasure, goodness and beauty, and the company of other loved ones.”
I’m not a Trekkie by any means, but I have to admit that I have enjoyed watching Star Trek: Voyager in the past. Captain Janeway is a lovely character—smart and brave and in control, but also vulnerable and loving. Great pick!
Hm, I’m curious about the Ducky and Sunny friendship, I appreciate a YA story that explores a relationship and is open about the fact that maybe they aren’t meant to be a couple. Seems kind of refreshing. Oh Janeway and 7 is a GREAT relationship, love that you picked that but am not at all surprised haha. Gollum and Frodo, another great and nuanced relationship. Ah, my fellow Dex & Mosscap fan, great list!
Nor me! I got interrupted in the fifties, I think, and the series finished 20+ books later. I read the LAST book and…oof, there was a spoiler I wish I hadn’t seen.
Reading Freely 
*Completely* off-topic…. I recently found this guy who has an interesting ‘take’ on all things Sci-Fi. I think you might like him.
Feral Historian – YouTube
Thanks! Will check him out after work.
Captain Janeway and Seven of Nine had a wonderful relationship.
Thanks for stopping by earlier.
Lydia
Aslan and Edmund are a good pick.
Thank you for your visit at Long and Short Reviews.
Astilbe
So interesting–all are new to me which is part of what makes TTT so fun.
I almost never see Wendell Berry on book blogs so I’m excited to see you mention him here. My favorite of his books that I’ve read is Hannah Coulter. I’ve read it a few times.
I absolutely WB, both his fiction and essays. (His poetry, too, but I’ve never read a complete collection.)
Hannah was my second Berry book. 🙂 It has one of my favorite quotes from Berry in it, helped by the fact at my grandfather died just before I read it and it really hit home:
“The living can’t quit living because the world has turned terrible and people they love and need are killed. They can’t because they don’t. The light that shines into darkness and never goes out calls them on into life. It calls them back again into the great room. It calls them into their bodies and into the world, into whatever the world will require. It calls them into work and pleasure, goodness and beauty, and the company of other loved ones.”
I’m not a Trekkie by any means, but I have to admit that I have enjoyed watching Star Trek: Voyager in the past. Captain Janeway is a lovely character—smart and brave and in control, but also vulnerable and loving. Great pick!
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
She’s unique, I think! Mulgrew has great acting chops.
I really need to read A Psalm for the Wild Built. Maybe this fall!
It’s an interesting title!
Hm, I’m curious about the Ducky and Sunny friendship, I appreciate a YA story that explores a relationship and is open about the fact that maybe they aren’t meant to be a couple. Seems kind of refreshing.
Oh Janeway and 7 is a GREAT relationship, love that you picked that but am not at all surprised haha.
Gollum and Frodo, another great and nuanced relationship.
Ah, my fellow Dex & Mosscap fan, great list!
I want to read Jayber Crow again, preferably with my reading group, and I’d also like to read A Song for the Wild-Built again, too.
Dex and Moss are such a great duo.
Great way to describe relationships. Well done.
Thank you for visiting my post.
https://momobookblog.blogspot.com/2024/08/top-ten-tuesday-sisters.html
I keep thinking about Animorphs for some reason lately! I never did finish the series.
Nor me! I got interrupted in the fifties, I think, and the series finished 20+ books later. I read the LAST book and…oof, there was a spoiler I wish I hadn’t seen.